Life challenges and imperfect pieces

I love to paint, and some mediums are more forgiving to the beginner artist than others. I am still finding my way of expressing my world through colours. Watercolour is one of the most challenging mediums for me as it requires a solid basis, which I haven't got just yet, started only in my late forties. But I am obsessed with it, especially the brilliant colours.

Sometimes I get really frustrated with the results as I might love most of it except for a little runny bit, or the other way around – I might love a particular flower, a shape or just the colour and absolutely hate what surrounds it. So, I keep those… But we live in a very modest apartment with limited storage.

So, one day, while trying to look for a blank birthday card for a friend, I had a folder landing on my forehead, sort of a Newtonian moment.

I found my unsuccessful attempts to create hand-made cards on specially formatted watercolour paper in that folder. And then I saw a pair of scissors… A double-sided tape was there as well, and the rescue mission has started! Three hours later, I had a perfect card to go with the present for my friend. It made my heart sing with joy – what an accident, what a find! Sustainable creativity – here I come!

Ever since that day, I've never experienced the same level of sadness about imperfect art pieces! Sometimes, when I have some colours left on the palette, I would let myself go wild with my left (non-dominant) hand with the brush, releasing, practising, creating. In those moments, I feel highly inspired and encouraged by the Universe itself.

I've played with this medium many times since the "accident." I find it especially useful when not pressured for time, and I need to clarify something for myself. Being a very visual person, seeing helps me find new perspectives, connect within, and heal.

The day our ginger cat disappeared, I've used the same method to dream up a perfect home for the cat and us while waiting for his return. And he did return that night. Ginger was a stray cat who adoped us a few years earlier and loved his adventure. And even though he is no longer with us, I still cherish that particular collage as a beautiful reminder that even if those we love are no longer around, they keep living in our memories. I realise that my heart can produce an impression of Love as a whole from the many fragments – the same way my collage being created from the imperfect pieces.

Nowadays, I have a wonderful organisation in my care – International Energetic Healing Association. Its purpose is to quality assure and support practitioners and educators within the holistic health industry sector. As a director, I face the challenges of a small business similar to other business owners and beyond. But the well-tested collage technique has become my go-to tool when I need to destress and get a different perspective on something.

This is how I apply it. The first step is setting an intention. I might have a specific question, problem in focus, or just need to see how the energy body of the organisation going and if there is anything it would like me to see.

With the intention in place, the exploration with scissors begin. Colours, shapes, cut-cut, place it where it feels right on the page and secures with the double-sided tape, glue or base acrylic paint. If the paint is used, it also works as a paper mosaic grout.

When the piece feels complete, I like to sit with it quietly for a while, connecting. Sometimes words would come and I make sure to write them down as a form of reflection. The end result might be epic or insignificant, but there are always shifts in my perception and therefore shifts in the energy of thing/ being in focus.